From the bedside to the finish line A nurse running for a cause
Hilary Basson is raising money for Children's Hospital Trust South Africa
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From the Bedside to the Finish Line: Running for a Cause
This autumn, I’m taking on the Royal Parks Half Marathon in London to raise funds for the Children’s Hospital Trust, supporting the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital. Every donation, big or small, makes a massive difference in the lives of young patients.
A lifetime ago—before marriage, before babies, before I identified as "Mom"—I was a Registered Nurse, studying my postgraduate in Paediatric Critical Care Nursing at the University of Cape Town. With no prior ICU experience, I stepped into the high-intensity world of Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital and learned more in 10 months than I ever imagined.
I witnessed the highest highs of saving a life and the heartbreak of watching one slip away.
I came to understand the vital importance of prevention and preparation—primary healthcare, child safety, and prenatal screening.
Now, as a nurse and a runner, I’m taking those lessons beyond the hospital walls and into this challenge. Please support me in making a difference—one step, one kilometre, one child at a time.
2025 Two Oceans Half Marathon